Scottish Councils invest £406 million in 23 fracking companies. The investments are held through the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme which provides pensions for local government and associated workers. Only Shetland’s Council pension fund, which is not invested in any company stocks, does not invest directly in fracking firms.
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Air pollution continues to be responsible for hundreds of early deaths in Scotland each year, in breach of European law. Following a High Court ruling last year, the UK Government was forced to come up with fresh plans to secure compliance with EU legal limits as soon as possible. In our response to the Defra plans, we critique the Scottish Government's input into the new plans.

Air pollution kills over 2,500 people each year in Scotland - that's more than ten times the number of road accident deaths. Our dangerous air pollution levels have been breaking Scottish and European law for years.

Friends of the Earth Scotland welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Scottish Government's 'Talking Fracking' consultation, on unconventional oil and gas. We have been working with communities on the frontline of this industry in Scotland, and campaigning for a ban on fracking and all forms of unconventional oil and gas extraction for over 6 years. In that time, evidence of the potentially harmful impacts of UOG extraction has only continued to grow, while at the same time the urgency of the climate crisis, and therefore the need to phase out fossil fuels has critically increased. Meanwhile, the industry patently remains unable to demonstrate the safety of hydraulic fracturing and other techniques used to extract unconventional oil and gas in relation to impacts on human health and the environment, as the precautionary principle demands.

The UK General Election on 8 June 2017 takes place at a crucial time for our environment. The next government will decide how to meet our Paris Agreement goals to halt global warming, how to tackle the deadly public health crisis of air pollution, and how to build a just, sustainable economy after the age of oil.
The Friends of the Earth Scotland manifesto sets out ten practical actions the next government should take to meet today's environmental challenges.

Friends of the Earth Scotland:
· Object to Edinburgh Airport’s proposed new flight paths;
· Call for the Airport to return to its use of airspace prior to 2012 and to cease all night time flights i.e. from 11p.m. – 6a.m.;

Friends of the Earth Scotland response to the Scottish Government consultation on Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies and Regulation of District Heating
We research and campaign for actions that contribute to tackling the threat of climate change. Shifting our economy away from dependency on fossil fuels is critical in responding to the climate crisis and Friends of the Earth believe that this transformation is an opportunity to build a fairer, more equal and socially just Scotland.

Scotland’s councils continue to invest in the companies most responsible for climate change, holding a £1,683 million stake in fossil fuel companies through their pension funds.
This report by Common Weal, UNISON Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland details the investments of Scottish councils, comparing their investments in fossil fuels with renewable energy and social housing, and sets out which UK councils are leading on investing for the climate.